


Goodbye

by reticentseiko



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gender Neutral, Hurt/Comfort, I'm sorry I'm really bad with tags ;v;, M/M, Other, Spoilers for V's route/Another Story, Tragic Romance, implied depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 05:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12183894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reticentseiko/pseuds/reticentseiko
Summary: You are struggling with coming to terms with Ray's fate in Another Story. Unexpectedly, you are visited by him one last time.





	Goodbye

_It was so warm._

 

It felt as though the sun was pressing its rays ever so gently against your skin. Although the warmth was inviting you to partake in the new day, you couldn’t help but sigh in content while snuggling deeper into the comforter. You wondered if you had drawn back the blinds the previous night. Strangely enough, you couldn't seem to remember if you had. However, even having been awakened by that loving caress of daybreak, you didn’t dare to open your eyes. It felt too pleasant being tucked into your bedding where you felt the most comfortable. At least there, you could pretend that everything was alright.

But the longer you remained there, the more the tragic memories that took place not that long ago seemed to flood your mind like a horrible disease. It spread violently beginning from the tips of your fingers and toes and steadily started to creep ever so slowly toward your heart. It was painful. Each passing second only allowed those dark emotions to grow stronger as they greedily fed off of your crippled mental state. You felt yourself being forced to remember that which you tried to forget.

The emotions you had felt as the news reached your ears crippled your body causing your form to come crashing down to the earth as a mournful wail echoed through the night. His last text messages you had pored over again and again on your tear-stained phone trying to find the reason why he chose that path. His every word that had been gently formed as though he were afraid you would shatter instead of himself as he finally conveyed his true feelings of love through your shared final phone call to one another. The many unfulfilled promises of dates, hugs, and of kisses that would never be…

_Everything…_

Clutching your head as the tears threatened to pour from your eyes, you pleaded with yourself to make it all stop. You couldn’t bear to remember that in one night, you had lost _him_. It all became unbearable. You wanted to scream.

And then, it was gone. As quickly as the feeling arose in your being, it dissipated. You wondered how that could be, but you soon understood why.

As you had fallen victim to your mind, the door had creaked open to your chambers. You could hear footsteps approach the bed. They seemed light yet somehow familiar to your ears. You’ve heard these before. These same dress shoes had welcomed you to that mansion. They had walked alongside you watching as you took in the invigorating scents of the flowers blooming in the garden below the room you had stayed in. And now, it seemed that they were coming to visit you once more.

But, it couldn’t have been possible. There was no way this person could be here right now. Not since the building you had shared some time in was long gone. Even if by some miracle, how would he know where you were? At this very moment, you were far away from the charred debris within that forest and instead in your bed in a home that now felt unfamiliar to you.

Even still, you needed to know for sure. You wanted to sit up, to turn and look at the person’s face who had entered your quarters, but you found yourself unable. Even trying to open your eyes was proving to be impossible. It were as though you were being held by some invisible force and you could only listen as they drew closer with every footfall.

Or perhaps, you were paralyzed with the fear that if you opened your eyes, you wouldn’t be greeted by the sight of his face at all. For all you knew, this could be your mind playing tricks causing you to hear that which wasn’t there. With how much you longed to see him, you couldn’t shove aside that possibility. A knot in your throat tightened.

Eventually, the echoing of footsteps stopped. Your heart rate quickened and you could hear the blood pumping through your ears. You felt eyes upon your form as you lay immobilized in your bed. You wanted them to say something. Anything. To prove that you weren’t just going insane. However, instead of calling out to you, you could feel their weight press down into the mattress near your waist. A moment passes so slowly, you wondered if you were still dreaming. But, just as the thought crosses your mind, a warm half-gloved hand presses against your face. And, as though a spell had been lifted, your eyes snapped open.

It was him.

It was Ray.

You could feel all of the emotions you had tried to bury within yourself rush to the surface. It were as though a dam had broken. The tears never seemed to stop as they cascaded down your cheeks in torrents. You sat up with a start, the duvet falling around your hips, before throwing your arms around his body. You clung to him desperately, fingernails burying themselves into his magenta coat. It were as though every fiber of your body feared that if you ever let go, this would all disappear.

This was real. Ray was there with you once again.

A soft chuckle passed his lips as Ray accepted you into his embrace. His hand ran down the back of your head soothingly as the other wrapped around your waist keeping you close.

“Good morning,” he murmured tenderly into your ear.

Saying that you felt happy would be putting it mildly as a maelstrom of emotions whirled within your body. As he leaned into your embrace, you could feel wisps of his coral-tipped locks tickling your cheekbone. His breathing, a slow and steady contrast to your own, helped to soothe you as you felt your eyes slide shut. You breathed him in, the scent of roses sending a familiar thrill through your body. It wasn’t long before your muscles finally relaxed and your lips were finally able to curve upwards in ecstasy. This was perfect.

That nagging question never truly left your mind, however. Despite how much you didn’t want to interrupt this tender moment with your questioning, you felt as though you had to. With one kiss to his cheek, you forced yourself backwards from the hug to speak with him properly.

“But,” you began as you pulled back far enough to search his eyes. “How are you here? I was told… that Magenta was destroyed.”

_‘With you in it…’_

As you thought that, you eventually noticed that something was off about your bedroom. It was then as your eyes swept the room that you realized something. You hadn't noticed earlier as you were then still in shock from seeing Ray alive before your eyes. This wasn't your home. Somehow, and you couldn't fathom why, this was the room you had stayed in during your time at Magenta. The very same Magenta that held the infamous Mint Eye that everyone in the RFA had told you was the location of a serious explosion.

The various shades of pink that decorated the room along the walls and furniture, the glass windows near your bed that opened up into an elegant balcony overlooking the flower garden, even the chandelier that you once felt was much too glamourous for a person like yourself-- Everything was just as you remembered. But…

“How did I get here… ?” You hadn't intended on outwardly vocalizing your confusion. It all didn’t make any sense. Sure, it all appeared the same, but that was precisely what made it all so strange. Was everything you had been told a lie then? Were they hiding the truth from you?

What you hadn't anticipated from Ray’s response was the change in expression upon his face. For a fraction of a second, you could have sworn that Ray's smile had flickered. But before you could mention it, he had taken your hand into his own before giving it a gentle squeeze. He chuckled softly, that same sweet voice sending vibrations through your form causing you to nearly forget what you had just been concerned about.

“I've missed you. Probably, more than you would ever know.” He had evaded the question. Even knowing this, you couldn't help but offer him a sad yet understanding smile.

“I missed you too, Ray.” Your words were barely more than a hushed whisper.

As you stared deep into his turqouise irises , you found yourself at a loss for words. You had so much you wanted to tell him. You wanted to catch him up on everything that had happened with the RFA, with Mint Eye, even with Rika. But, you realized that this was more than enough. Just having Ray here, holding your hand, sharing the same space with you, was exactly what you had been longing for all this time you had been apart. You wouldn’t question how this came to be, but you were ever grateful to whatever allowed this to happen.

A moment passes as the two of you bask in each others company. What seemed all too soon, Ray stood up from his seat atop your bed. You opened your mouth about to question where he was going, but your voice halted from seeing the hand before you. A weary smile graced his lips as he held his palm outstretched, clearly asking for your own once more.

“Would you like to take a walk with me?” he asked politely. “I have somewhere I would like to show you. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

You nodded fervently. As you rose from the mattress to stand at his side, you placed your hand in his before the both of you made your way through the doorway. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself. No matter how often you snuck glances in his direction, no matter how each time you felt his skin against your own, you still needed to remind yourself that he was there. It were as though a deeper part of you still worried that this were all a dream.

But, there was no way a dream could feel this real.

The two of you walked down the halls of the mansion hand in hand. Each door that you passed was shut yet seemingly empty within. Although it was quiet, you found yourself grateful that no other person seemed to be around. Perhaps any remaining believers had long since left this place.

You turned your eyes toward Ray. He was still focused on proceeding forward. You took notice of the concentration furrowing his brow line. Although you two weren’t going at a particularly brisk pace, you couldn’t help but feel as though Ray wanted you to reach the destination he had planned for you very soon. Almost as if, it was something very important. Ray seemed to take notice that he was being watched and turned his mint-hued eyes toward you, a warm smile dancing across his cheeks.

“This feels nice,” he began with a gentle squeeze of your palm. “Holding hands that is. I haven’t held hands with a person I have cared so deeply for before. I’ve been dreaming of this day for a very long time. I’m so glad that I could share this moment with you. You’re just so precious to me.”

His cheeks quickly turned a dull shade of pink. Ray nervously laughed as he idly ran a few fingers through the bangs of his hair. You felt your heart tug in your chest. The wording may have seemed cheesy in retrospect, but it was proof that he had never changed.

“I’m sorry,” he attempted feebly to correct his previous statement. “I suppose it’s been so long since I last saw you that my emotions ran away from me. I’ve been… so lonely.” He looks to you again, this time with a somber expression. “My feelings never changed. I always thought of you. I wondered how you were doing, if you were happy where you were, and even if you had forgotten me.”

Your heart sank.

“I never--!” You felt a gloved finger press against your lips. Ray slowly pulled his hand back before shaking his head. You could see the wry smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth. Your mouth clamped shut to listen to what he had to say.

“I know. I could feel it.” His brow was now knit into a tight line of regret. “I’m so sorry to have caused you so much pain. I didn’t mean for that to happen to you. I feel horrible.”

You didn’t quite understand what he meant. How could he have _felt_ what you were feeling? It didn’t make sense.

But, your thoughts were once again silenced as Ray lifted your hand to his face. His lashes tickled his cheeks as he pressed his lips against your skin. A pleasant shiver passed through you. As he lowered your hand, your fingers now once again entwined with his own, a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

“Well then, shall we continue, my love?”

Your worries forgotten, the smile never left your face as you continued down the staircase. You would just have to ask when the timing was more appropriate. For now, it seemed better to just enjoy the day ahead of you.

 

It would be a short while before you arrived at your destination. Along the way, you couldn’t help but notice that you knew this path. Ray had taken you this route before when he felt you wanted a change of scenery from your room. Your heartbeat accelerated in your chest as he pushed open the large glass doors.

The garden was even more beautiful than you had remembered. Alongside the roses you had come to love, someone had taken care to plant a wider variety of flora within the garden. Shades of ever color you could imagine were here. There seemed to be flowers blooming as far as your eyes could see. You couldn’t even see the forest beyond the grounds due to the sheer volume of plantlife overtaking the lawn. It was lush and somewhat magical. You sank to your knees before pressing your face closer to a rose of your favorite color. Slowly, you took in the pleasurable scent.

“This is wonderful, Ray.” You smiled up at him gratefully. “You did this all for me?”

Your companion met your smile with his own curved lips. You could see a faint dust of pink tickle his cheekbones. He seemed sheepish at that moment, yet still very relieved to hear your compliments for his work.

“Yes,” he said as he took a knee to your left. His hand idly caressed one newly bloomed anemone’s stem between his forefinger and thumb. “I spent a lot of time here after you were gone. Well, with as much free time as I could spare. I hoped that someday you would return to see this garden with me once more. That’s why I planted so many new flowers for you.”

He turns to look at you, a gentle twinkle in his eyes.

“I wanted to see your wonderful smile again. Your smile is far more beautiful than any of these plants.”

A deep blush overtook your face. You turned your attention to the flower balanced in your hand as the uncomfortable heat spread throughout your cheeks. Ray certainly seemed to be much more forward today. Perhaps, Ray had meant it when he had spoken about trying to be more bold for you. You couldn’t deny that you didn’t appreciate the affection. Shaking yourself from your thoughts, you turned and offered him a soft giggle in return.

“Th-thank you,” you managed to utter while still slightly embarrassed from the compliment. “I love this.” As you rose to your feet, you glanced around the garden searching for more new wonders you were sure Ray had implemented while you were away.

“I’d like to see what else you were working on, if that’s alright.”

He nodded. After dusting off his magenta coat, Ray took your hand in his own before walking you past the rosebushes.

Time seemed to pass slowly in the garden. Ray walked you down the winding path, your fingers entwined with his own. With no watchful stares from the believers that once resided in the mansion, it almost felt as though you were on a date. You couldn’t resist smiling to yourself at the thought.

“This is lovely. I’ve always wanted to hold your hand like this.” As if reading your mind, Ray’s voice broke through your thoughts. You turned your gaze to him. His cheeks were once again flushed but he was practically beaming from ear to ear. “Your hand is so warm. I can feel it through my gloves.”

“Why not take them off?” You suggested while perking an eyebrow.

He hesitated. Originally, you had worried that you might have been too forward with your idea. However, after a few seconds, his voice broke the tension.

“I didn’t know if that would be okay with you. I’m glad we were thinking the same thing.”

Now able to let out of a sigh of relief, you could feel the tension in your nerves loosen as he began to delicately remove his gloves finger by finger. Ray tucked his gloves into his coat pocket before lacing his fingers between your own. He stood there, silently admiring the way your hands seemed to perfectly interlock with his. After a moment, he met your eyes with a grin.

“My heart is beating so fast.” His words were little more than a hushed murmur. By the tremble in his voice, you could tell that he was trying to keep his emotions steady. “I… I’m just so happy right now. You have no idea.”

There was an intense pounding in your chest as well. Holding hands, as innocent as it could be, was causing your breathing to quicken. You hadn’t touched his skin before. The closest, was when he had offered you the elixir back when Rika was still ‘the savior’ of Mint Eye. Even then, he seemed to be wary of direct contact. He was careful to only grip your hand against the fabric of his glove.

This new experience shared between the two of you felt magical. Surreal, even.

Even as the sun continued to rise in the sky above, you couldn’t take your eyes off of his. You felt as though you were being pulled toward him through some magnetic force beyond your comprehension. Slowly, your body closed the distance. You swallowed nervously. Your mind had gone blank. A dull throbbing in your ears indicated just how anxious you were currently feeling. Ray, taking notice of the shrinking gap between your forms, widened his eyes. There was that blush again.

Before you could reach him, Ray had turned back to the walkway. He gave you a nervous laugh as he did, his left hand anxiously twirling a lock of his hair between his fingers.

“Shall we continue?” he said with slight hesitation in his voice.

You nodded begrudgingly. Although you didn’t say it, part of you wondered if he did that intentionally. For now, you walked alongside him, hand in hand, as you perused the rest of the garden. Soon, you were back to just enjoying your time with him instead of thinking about that missed romantic opportunity.

It wasn’t long before he had suggested you sit with him under the gazebo. Ray had seemed enthused to speak with you over just about anything. He appeared to be enjoying himself as he listened to your voice. As you filled him in on the events after the party, Ray never took his eyes off of your own. He watched patiently, his hands neatly folded in his lap, as you chatted away. When you had realized your own enthusiasm and ducked your face behind your bangs sheepishly, his smiled widened with a jovial chuckle rumbling from his throat. The fondness in his turquoise eyes was apparent.

But sometimes, as you saw him sip from his ceramic cup, you could see a glimpse of a faint sadness climb to the surface of his irises. It seemed to only grow every time you mentioned that you wanted to take him out to the city. He genuinely seemed overjoyed at the mention of the places you liked to frequent that you wanted to introduce him to, but you noticed that he would fall silent and idly stir his cooling tea shortly after. You thought you couldn't understand why. However, deep down in your gut, you felt as though you did know but didn’t want to think about what you had feared ever since he had awoken you this morning.

Time passed quickly and before long it was early afternoon. You set your empty tea cup down before you. As much as you wanted to avoid the topic, you felt as though you would never be able to shake that nagging feeling until you do. You would always be plagued with questions of how you arrived here and how this place was still standing. And…

You met those beautiful mint-colored eyes again. Ray smiled warmly, unaware of the turmoil within your heart at that moment. You took a deep breath.

It was now or never.

“Ray,” you began with a tinge of concern wavering your voice. “This has been bothering me for a while now. When I woke up this morning, I thought I was in my room in my home. But, I turned out to be here at the Mint Eye mansion. I thought this place was… gone.” Your eyes drop for a moment.

“I thought Mint Eye was disbanded. That’s what everyone in the RFA had told me. They said that Rika and the believers made it out when the place burnt down in the night.” Your hands clutched your cup so tightly you were afraid that it might shatter.

Suddenly, you felt warm hands over your own. You looked up and saw Ray, concern riddling his features, holding your hands in an attempt to soothe you. His brow was furrowed tightly. It would be a moment before he spoke.

“I know,” he said softly. Another moment passes. He was searching for something to say to comfort you. But, you could tell by how difficult this was for him, he had no idea. All he could do was offer one statement:

“It’s going to be okay.”

But it wasn’t. Not as long as you knew something about all of this was wrong.

You counted out a few deep breaths. As you attempted to steady your breathing, you finally turned your eyes up to stare directly into Ray’s. The words you needed to say bundled up in the back of your throat. Every fiber of your being was practically screaming at you.

_Don’t say it. Don’t ruin this. This was everything you have every wanted._

_Don’t._

“I was told… you died.”

And then it happened.

A loud explosion rocked the sky sending shockwaves throughout the garden. You screamed, your hands flying to your ears from the devastating sound. Pieces of glass scattered across the surrounding flora only just missing your body. The sound of fire crackled and quickly roared to life behind you. You didn’t want to look. You wanted to run. But, as though you were unable to control your body, you felt yourself rise from your seat, and you turned to face the mansion.

The building was ablaze.

“What is--” You turned your attention back to Ray, but quickly found yourself unable to speak. Everything was different.

When had it turned nighttime?

The garden, once alive with an abundance of flora in every color imaginable, now only bloomed roses comprised of a single ominous color that you had become all too familiar with:

 **Blue**.

Embers flecked the night sky as smoke threatened to flood the garden. The table you had been sitting at only seconds before was gone. Ray was now standing there in the same location just silently staring at you. However, his once cheerful expression had turned dark. He seemed to look straight through you toward the burning mansion. As the building gave out one final creak of its foundation, it all came crashing down into a towering pile of ash and soot. Ray’s eyes turned downcast.

As the rubble settled behind you, you heard Ray let out a long exhausted sigh. His gaze dropped to the roses beneath him. Silently, he dropped to his knees, taking great care to not damage any of the plants below.

“Ray…?” your voice trembled.

Ray did not respond.

Slowly, he began to pluck one rose after another until finally collecting them altogether in his hands. From his pocket, he drew a thin sheet of wrapping paper and a flowing black ribbon. Carefully, Ray wrapped the roses into a bouquet before standing to his feet.

He approached you slowly. You could see a tempest of emotions threatening to destroy his composure at any moment as he continued toward you. He looked as to be on the verge of tears. You willed yourself to speak, to ask what was happening. Before you could find your voice he had placed the bouquet into your hands before raising his own gloved palms to your cheeks. You could feel the cool leather of his gloves as he wiped away the tears you did not realize you had shed. He murmured just loudly enough for you to hear above the crackling of flames.

“I’m so sorry.”

It was then, as reality hit you like a ton of bricks, that you could feel the severity of the situation start to sink in.Your entire being felt as though it were going to give out. Tears poured from your eyes as you shook your head side to side indignantly.  Your wails were drowned out by the fire behind you. This couldn’t be. You refused to believe it. It took everything you had to keep your knees from buckling out from beneath your trembling form.

Ray did everything he could to try to calm you down. He stroked your hair and back, kept you close to his body, and consistently whispered soothing words you were unable to comprehend through your despair. You felt as though you were going to lose yourself entirely to this pain.

But, before you succumbed to sorrow, you felt lips press against your own. Your legs threatened to give out from shock, but you could feel strong arms keeping you upright.

Ray was kissing you.

Unable to contain sadness in your heart any longer, you threw aside the bouquet and tightly gripped the lapels of his jacket before fully pressing your own lips to his. Ray, staggered by your forceful kiss, let out a soft gasp before stumbling backwards. The two of you collapsed atop the rosebed below sending a flurry of blue petals through the night. You sobbed into his magenta coat trembling uncontrollably. Ray wrapped his arms around your body. He held you like this until the tears stopped. When you were finally able to gather your thoughts, you lifted your head to face him.

“Ray,” you choked out. “Please, tell me it’s a lie. Tell me I was dreaming when they said you were gone. Please!”

He looked so painfully despondent. Almost as though he knew that nothing he could say would change anything. Your heart ached.

“If… If I had one regret, it was that we couldn’t be together. I failed to make you happy. I’m so so sorry for causing you this much pain.” He bit down on his jaw tightly, his face full of remorse. It wouldn’t be until he spoke again that he again tried to smile for you.

”I needed to see you again, even if this will be the last time.” He spoke his works gently, almost as if he feared that you would break from hearing them. “I wanted to show you that you never left my mind even in the end. I was always thinking about you.”

_No._

“Thank you. For giving me the most beautiful days of my life. When I was with you, I finally felt as though I mattered. Like, my life was worth living. You gave me hope.”

_God, please no._

Ray took your tear-stained cheeks into his hands. He leaned down and planted a gently kiss atop your forehead.

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone all this time. But, from now on, you won’t be alone anymore. I’ll be beside you. Even when you cannot see me, I’ll be there watching over you. Always.”

Carefully, Ray shifted you over onto the ground as he stood back up. He dusted his hands before offering one to you. As he helped you to your feet, Ray pulled you back into a tender embrace. You could feel a wetness blossoming on your shoulder as he wept against your skin. He didn’t speak, nor did he need to. You could feel all of his emotions as you held him tightly amongst the blue rosebed.

Finally, Ray pulled back, the back of his hand wiping away the remains of his sorrow. He searched your eyes, looking for something you did not know of. With one more forced tugs upwards of his lips, he spoke.

“I love you. For as long as the world shall turn and life will go on, for as long as stars light your way through any lonely nights, and when the sun rises bringing you the hope of a better day, I will always love you. Forever.”

Then, the wind picked up. The petals that you had kicked up not long before swirled into a whirlwind around your bodies. You glanced around nervously, unsure of why this was happening. But, Ray only stared back at you. His smile had finally turned genuine. Gently, he pressed his lips against your own one last time. You clung to his coat desperately, internally begging the heavens to please let this last a while longer. To let this not be the end.

But, as your eyes slid shut to fully accept his kiss, you noticed something change. Unable to locate what had once been right in front of you, your arms clutched wildly at thin air. Where Ray’s lips had once been pressing against you own, you found yourself attempting to kiss what no longer existed. Your eyes snapped back open to see blue petals falling back down to the earth with the black ribbon Ray had gifted you drifting hopelessly amidst them. You were alone. You could hear Ray’s voice echoing through the night.

“Goodbye, my eternal love.”

And then he was gone.

 

**“RAY!!!”**

 

Your comforter tumbled down your body into a dejected heap at your hips. Your hand was held outstretched before you, reaching out futilely to a person no longer there. Tears clung to your cheeks. You could hear the telltale chirping of birds outside your window as daylight streamed in from the outside world. It was morning. Slowly, you dropped your arm back down. It had all been a dream. You sat there in your bed for an unfathomable amount of time.

Ray really was dead.

Your heart ached.

You laid down on your back and shut your eyes. As much as you wanted to cry, you found yourself unable to. As you touched the stains on your cheeks, you could only assume that you had been weeping throughout the evening. At this point, you were grateful that you lived alone. At least now you wouldn’t have to explain why you were screaming and crying from night terrors.  You turned and clutched your face beneath your hands with a broken heart.

You missed him. You missed him terribly. No matter how much time had passed since he departed from the world, you always seemed to have nightmares about him. You opened your eyes, a frown addressing your face.

But, this felt real. This time, you felt as though he was really with you. Not that that was possible. You sighed and pressed the bridge of your nose between your fingers. Maybe you were getting worse.

Just as you rolled over to try and rest to calm yourself down, you noticed something on your bedside. It was tucked just next to your pillow and almost out of your line of sight, but you could still see the object from your lateral position. Your breathing hitched when your eyes finally took in what it was.

“No way…”

You slowly grasped the stem, bringing the flower up to your line of vision. An incredulous laugh escaped your lips. You wondered how this could have been here at this time. All of the flowers of this variety were long gone, burned away in a fire that had once enveloped Magenta.

And yet, there it was. A single blue rose.

This was a gift from him. You didn’t know when, and you didn’t know this could have gotten there. However, that didn’t matter. Careful not to disturb the petals too much, you brought the rose in closer to your face. Your eyes fluttered shut as you pressed the flower gently to your lips. As you breathed in the familiar scent, you felt all of the anguish and sorrow you had been suffering from melt away. You finally felt like you were going to be okay.

And, it was then that you smiled. For the first time since Ray’s death, you felt at peace.

“Thank you, Ray.”

“Goodbye.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by my own feelings after playing Day 10 in Another Story. I cried that evening into my boyfriend's arms and struggled with understanding why that had to happen to Ray. I felt the need to write this to give myself a bit of closure for this character. :<  
> I did use a few symbolic elements pulled from a particular cutscene in Final Fantasy XV. Kudos to anyone who knows which emotional moment I'm talking about!  
> Also, I tried to keep the reader gender neutral this time. It's not something I'm familiar with, but I've been seeing a lot more people prefer this sort of thing so I figured I'd give it a go!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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